Core Approach to Computer Science for the General Student

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This project adds a laboratory component to a successful pilot program in mathematical and computer literacy, expands this program to large scale use, and evaluates this program. The pilot program is an effort to find an appropriate place for mathematics and computer science within a core curriculum, a set of general education courses required of all students. One goal of the program is to attract undecided students, particularly woman and minorities, to the fields of mathematics and computer science. Another goal is to guarantee that those students who do not pursue a scientific career will be sufficiently sophisticated to make intelligent judgements about computer-related issues. The approach used in the program is a principles-based one, but avoids attempting a broad survey of the field. Instead, it uses a hands-on approach to focus on sentential logic, its relation to everyday reasoning and language, and its application to the design of digital circuits. It also focuses on an extremely small subset of Pascal, chosen to teach the significance of iteration and the software engineering principle of solving complicated problems by combining solutions to simpler ones.The project involves the design, development, piloting and evaluation of a digital logic lab component to be added to the current course. The project also supports five faculty development seminars for instructors both inside and outside of CUNY to disseminate the experience of the pilot program in order to encourage large scale use. In addition, the project involves a broad assessment of the impact of the pilot program on students performance in more advanced classes.